England still keen to keep old firm

England are ready to pick Mike Atherton and Alec Stewart for next week's final Ashes Test, even if both players have already declared themselves unavailable for the winter tours of India and New Zealand.

Atherton seems likely to announce his retirement while Stewart will probably elect to play on.

But, either way, England's selectors are determined that they should continue to name their best available side against Australia - and then start thinking about the future.

Chairman David Graveney resisted calls for the old firm of Atherton and Stewart to be put on the spot about their winter plans after all hope of regaining the Ashes ended with defeat in the Third Test at Trent Bridge.

And, regardless of what happens during the fourth match of the series at Headingley, which was due to begin at 1pm after rain delayed today's start, England will want both their senior opener and batsman-wicketkeeper in action at The Oval next Thursday.

By then, the selectors are sure to know whether Atherton and Stewart are available for the winter because they plan to choose their squads for India and New Zealand before the final Test.

No announcement will be made until after The Oval game, but the sooner the guessing games over Atherton and Stewart come to an end the better. Captain Nasser Hussain, who says he has "an inkling" about what the two players will decide, would clearly like both men to battle on at least for another winter.

However, it looks as though he could win one and lose one.

Atherton, 33, has once again been England's most reliable batsman this summer and appears to have enjoyed a largely pain-free season so far as his chronic back problem is concerned.

But the former captain's contract with Lancashire ends next month and he is seen as a big target for television companies like Channel 4 and Sky who would willingly offer him a new career behind the microphone.

Still, Atherton has been pensioned off as a player before, most recently when back trouble forced him to withdraw from the 1999 World Cup, and he just might decide to extend his career by one more winter.

Stewart, 38, would be even harder to replace at present because his most obvious wicketkeeping successors - like Essex's James Foster and Sussex's Matthew Prior - look far too inexperienced to risk on the difficult pitches of India.

Hussain admitted: "I am in no doubt about what Mike and Alec have done for England. Both of them have played 113 Tests and both average nearly 40 with the bat. Alec does very little wrong behind the stumps and Mike is still catching well in the slips."

Michael Vaughan, who was back scoring runs for Yorkshire yesterday with an impressive 82 against Leicestershire, is on course to return to the Test team at The Oval after making a complete recovery from the knee operation he had earlier this summer.

Surrey batsman Graham Thorpe could also be available if his fractured hand has fully mended.

What England are determined to avoid, however, is turning the final match of the series into a tour trial.

Consequently, they will identify replacements for Atherton and Stewart, if necessary, but ask their two stalwarts to see out the Ashes campaign.